Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson spoke with media Thursday about his preparation for Sunday's big game against the 49ers. What does he have to focus on to be successful? How are he and the receivers meshing? What does he think of Colin Kaepernick? Click through the gallery to read it all.

"I got to know him a little bit. He's a great kid. He's a great person. Obviously he's very, very dedicated to what he does and you like him for that, for sure. He's got a lot of talent. He's been doing really well for the past however many games he has been playing. You love watching him play. He's got a lot of talent and he can do a lot of great things. So I've got a lot of respect for him."

On getting to know Kaepernick: "I got to know him a little... Photo-5183055.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On the similarities between Wilson and Kaepernick:

"Well, he's a lot taller than me. You know, he's pretty fast too. But I think that, for us, I have to focus on myself. And obviously we have a lot of similar abilities in terms of running the ball and throwing the football and everything, and making things happen. He's more of a long-strider than me; I'm more kind of a quick guy, trying to avoid people. I love the way he plays. He's a great football player."

On the similarities between Wilson and Kaepernick: "Well,... Photo-5183056.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On what impresses him about Kaepernick:

"Just watching Colin, I think he has great composure. He makes the plays when he needs to. He doesn't seem like he shies away from big games, and so you respect that as a quarterback. It's not easy playing in the National Football League. Whenever you see a guy that can make things happen the way he makes things happen, you have a lot of respect for him. I know our defense will be ready to go. It'll be a tough challenge for them but they will definitely be ready to bring their A-game, and we will see what happens."

On what impresses him about Kaepernick: "Just watching... Photo-5183057.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On the rivalry matchup with the 49ers on Sunday:

"Well, you know me, I don't change too much. Every game is vital to our season, and every time we step on the field on Sundays it's a championship game for us. And that's the way we look at it. You know, we have to go 1-0 every single week -- that's our mentality, that's what we discuss week in and week out. And, obviously playing the 49ers, people want to call it a rivalry ... you know, obviously it's a huge game and we respect that. We don't shy away from the challenge -- we don't shy away from the fact that the 49ers are a great football team, with a great coaching staff, with great football players.
"And so like every week, though, we have to bring our A-game. And it is important, yes, definitely, because it is an NFC West game. And that's really important; that's one of our goals -- to win the NFC West -- and we have to be able to go in every single week with that mentality to do that. We are playing in a great division and there's so many talented defenses, so many talented offenses. And so we are going to have to play our best football. And the thing about it: We are playing at CenturyLink. I know our fans are really excited about the opportunity to play our first game at home against the 49ers on "Sunday Night Football." Does it get any better? No. And so we are looking forward to that challenge."

On the rivalry matchup with the 49ers on Sunday: "Well, you... Photo-5183058.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On keeping track of time while scrambling:

"Yeah you know, when I scramble, I do have a clock in my head. Sometimes that clock goes a little long, sometimes. A lot of the times it works, and sometimes you just have to salvage the play and throw it away or get down. I think the biggest thing is to try to extend the play and be smart, and I'm never really trying to run it, to be honest with you. I'm always trying to find someone to throw the ball to, get the ball in our true play-maker's hands and let them go to work. But if I can run and I will get a positive gain and salvage the play in the fashion, then I will."

On keeping track of time while scrambling: "Yeah you know,... Photo-5183059.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On the offense getting used his scrambling around, looking for open receivers:

"Well, yeah, I think it takes practice. You have to do it in practice, first of all, in terms of the scramble rules and in terms of understanding where guys are trying to go. And at the end of the day, it's just playing football. You know, kind of almost like you're in the back yard and I've got to get open in the right spot. I've got to make sure that I'm going with the quarterback and coming back to the quarterback and going deep when we need to. And just making the smart play.
"I think that's the thing for me is just, I'm trying to extend the play, to make something positive happen, but if it's not there it's OK. Move onto the next play, and if it's third down, it's not there or whatever, it's OK to punt it. We've got one of the best punters in the league that can put them back on the 2-yard line if we need to, too. So that's something that I always think about."

On the offense getting used his scrambling around, looking for... Photo-5183060.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On the diversity of talent among the receiving corps:

"Yeah, we have so many different guys that can really catch the football well. You know, I think that it all starts with Sidney Rice. Number 18. He is just a very, very talented, smooth receiver -- knows what to do all the time. He's got just unbelievable hands; his hands are so soft. He can really catch the ball really, really well. And so, watching him run routs so precise -- and his catching range is just unbelievable.
"Jermaine Kearse is very, very similar to Sidney, I'd say. Very smooth receiver, knows how to get off releases, and just make the right decisions at be at the right place the right time. He knows how to attack the football. Then you have Golden Tate, who is a quicker guy who can just make people look silly out there. You know, like I always say to you guys, he's got cat-like reflexes. He just knows what to do and knows how to avoid hits, and knows how to get first downs when we need to. ...

On the diversity of talent among the receiving corps: "Yeah,... Photo-5183062.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On the diversity of talent among the receiving corps (continued):

"You got Doug Baldwin, who has cat-like reflexes as well -- just can move really well in the slot. He has great vertical jump and leaping ability; he can go up and get the football too. So just watching him has really impressed me over the past year -- just getting to know Doug and playing with him.Over the last year, if you really think about it, for the first half of the (2012) season I didn't really have him on a weekly basis. So, over the past year I've really gotten to work with him in the offseason, and obviously the beginning of this season. So we just have to continue that relationship there.
"Stephen Williams (pictured) is a guy that can run by people and can also break in front of people's faces and catch the football and get a huge first down for us. Like you guys saw him in the Packers (preseason) game, on that little short little screen, almost -- it wasn't really a screen but he was coming underneath, a little shallow route. So, he can run the ball really well, too, and he works at that every day at practice. I think that's the thing that impressed me about Stephen Williams, is every day in practice when he catches the football he's trying to to take it to the house. That's what I love about him. That's how everyone else is, all of our receivers."

On the diversity of talent among the receiving corps (continued):... Photo-5183063.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On Doug Baldwin's clutch play on third downs:

"He's very good at reading defenses. He thinks he's the quarterback sometimes. Doug is just so intelligent. He's a very smart kid -- knows everything he's trying to do and why he's trying to get there. He's just got a great feel. It's almost like he is a (basketball) point guard. You know, point guards just know where to go, know where to move certain people and set up certain people to get open, or to set somebody else to get open. And so that's what he does really well."

On Doug Baldwin's clutch play on third downs:... Photo-5183064.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On Wilson's ability to make big plays:

"I think that sometimes .... My dad used to always tell me that big-time players make big-time plays in big-time situations. And I think that for me, I live up to that. I'm waiting for that moment. I'm relaxed in those moments, I try to be the calm in the storm for all the other guys in the huddle. For the other team's guys in the huddle, I want them to know that I'm composed, I know what I'm doing, I'm relaxed and I'm ready to go.
"And so, I think that's what kind of gives me the peace. I just trust in the ability that the Lord gave me and I trust in my teammates, I trust in myself, I trust in the decision-making, and I trust that I am never going to give up on a play, no matter what. No matter what the score his, no matter what the situation is, I'm going to play one play at a time and I'm going to stay focused on that execution. And when the game is on the line, hopefully I'm clutch."

On if he is scared of failure: "Yeah, I never think about... Photo-5183066.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On if his one-play-at-a-time mentality meshes with Pete Carroll's message:

"I think that it's meshed a lot and it's also heightened it. We both talk about it, I've always talked about it in college, I've always talked about it growing up -- my dad and my mom always talked about that. Just living one day at a time, just trying to do the best you can, just try to live one play at a time. Salvage the play if it's not there -- that's OK too, especially playing the quarterback position.
"I think sometimes that when the situation's on the line, when you still have time on the clock .... There's some times when you just have to make a throw; there is no time on the clock. There's other situations where, you know, you've got three minutes left and the game's on the line, and something may not be there. You may just have to throw it away, and then trust that your defense is going to make the stop, and which I do every time. We've got a great defense and I trust that Richard Sherman back there is going to make a pick and get us the ball back, and then we have a shot to do something great.
"And so I think that is kind of the mentality: You have to be relaxed, you have to understand the situation, you have to understand the score, and you have to trust your teammates and trust your coaching staff that they are going to put you in a great situation."

On if his one-play-at-a-time mentality meshes with Pete... Photo-5183067.70150 - seattlepi.com

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On if he felt he played his best at Carolina last week (320 yards, 1 TD):

"You know, I don't know. I thought that we did a good job throwing the football. I thought that there were some areas that we could still do a little bit better, but I thought that we did great on third down. I was hoping that we'd do better in the red zone. I think that we are a better red-zone team that that. We kind of got ourselves off-schedule a little bit.
"And so I think that's the goal for this week: Can we stay on schedule? Can we be us? Can we focus on what we need to do? And not on all of the hype, not all of the attention and everything like that -- just play Seattle Seahawks football, and just play one play at a time. Play relaxed and play with that composure and play with that clutch mentality. It's going to be a tight game; it's going to be a close game, most likely. It's going to be one of those things where two great football teams are gonna be going after each other that whole entire game. So you have to have that four-quarter mentality and just play one play at a time, and just stay in the moment."